A short video from Director Jennie Reinish:

“I Cannot Be a Bystander” is a feature-length documentary film that addresses the rising tide of hate in this country, and why each of us must speak out against it. The film surveys historical and current incidents of antisemitism and other hatreds; awakens us to the dangers unchecked hate can have on society and democracy; and directly addresses the question, “What can I do to make a difference?”

We are Jennie Reinish (director/producer) and Abbie Nissenson (producer). We both have a personal connection to this subject and understand the responsibility of bringing a project of this magnitude to the screen. 

The film explores historical and current incidents of hatred, interwoven with the recollections of Holocaust survivors, who paint parallels between the horrors they endured as young people in prewar Europe and the hateful, increasingly violent acts being perpetrated against Jews and other targeted groups today in the United States and worldwide. As scholars and a wide range of religious, community and civic leaders share their thoughts and expertise, we see commonplace examples of what each of us can do to minimize the hate and strengthen our ties to one another. Taking inspiration from the survivors and others who are putting their convictions into action, this film delves into the moral and practical reasons why none of us can be bystanders.

The Story Behind the Story

In late 2022, against a backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents in our hometown of Santa Barbara, CA and many other places throughout the US and beyond, award-winning documentary filmmaker Jennie Reinish received a comment on social media.

“You belong in an oven,” the stranger said.

Feeling the sting of those words, Jennie’s thoughts quickly turned to the dozens of Holocaust survivors in our community who she has interviewed over the years. What must they be experiencing? How should any of us respond to such bigotry and threats of violence? So, Jennie did what activist-filmmakers do: she set out to make a film.

Initially, the film was intended to be a short piece featuring Holocaust survivors sharing the parallels they see between their youth in Nazi-occupied Europe and today’s rising tide of antisemitism – and the importance of speaking out. But when each survivor we interviewed pointed to all the other hatred this country is experiencing – racism, anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant, etc. – we realized we needed to widen the lens to include other marginalized groups and to underscore the importance of standing together.

As of Fall 2024, we have interviewed four members of Congress, community and religious leaders, scholars, and experts on hate. We are in the process of confirming public figures whose pop culture status will draw a wide viewership. The words of survivors, who range in age from 85 to 102, will be woven throughout the film, amplifying the message that none of us can be bystanders.

If you are interested in engaging further and would like to see a more detailed description of the film and/or a set of video clips from some of the interviews conducted so far, please reach out to us directly at jennie@tidepoolpicures.com or abbie@301south.net.